DREAM, Part 1

It is our dreams that perpetuate us. And that is why none of us ever dreams of living a life of mediocrity. Nobody dreams of working their way to middle management or having a dead-end job. Nobody's dreams consist of struggling with debt or just getting by. I have never heard of anyone dreaming their marriage would end in divorce. Our dreams don't involve addiction or pain and suffering. We all have dreams of grandeur. And for most of us, our dreams are unattainable in and of ourselves (if they aren't, I'd have to say they really aren't worth pursuing).

Think back to your childhood and try to recall some of the things you dreamed about. When I think back to those early years, it seems the sky was the limit; I mean that, seriously, not metaphorically. I had dreams of being a super-hero, like Superman. When I was younger, I was so convinced I could fly that I rode my big wheels right off our front deck. Needless to say, the only "flying" that took place was the drive to the emergency room to have gravel removed from my face. That may very well have been the day my dreams began to fade and I allowed them to get hijacked. Inevitably, that day comes looking for us all. For the vast majority of us, we succumb to the pressures of life and relinquish our dreams for the status quo. The discouragement sets in and gets the best of us. We can only hear: get your head out of the clouds, come back to reality, you are living on fantasy island, so many times. But, there are a few who will never give up and vigorously pursue those dreams with wreckless abandon.

It is God's design that we live life as the latter, because he has engrained deep in each of us the desire and the need to dream. How do I know this? The fact that we are created in the image of God leads me to this conclusion. God is a dreamer. If you don’t believe me, look around and take note of everything you see. The mountains, the trees, the animals, and of course humanity--all the work of a dreamer. The Bible tells us God desires that all men would be saved; that no man would turn away from repentance. If that doesn’t sound like a dream, then I don’t know what does. Now, let's throw into the mix the fact that God left everything he created in the hands of you and me. Broken, self-centered, over-indulgent humanity. All in hopes that we would learn to get along, love one another, and fulfill our purpose. That sounds like nothing short of fantasy to me.

All of this leads me to the conclusion that God has dreams of grandeur for each of us. More often than not, he wants bigger things for us than we want for ourselves. Unfortunately our dreams have been hijacked by society, media, and any number of "isms." The result is that we spend a good majority of our time and energy fighting God for control of our lives because, for some odd reason, we think we can do better without him. The key is to release control (or the false sense of control) of our lives and turn our hopes and dreams over to God. It is then and only then he will shape and mold both us and our dreams into something great.

That, my friends, is why it is essential we pursue our dreams. Well, that and because when we stop dreaming we stop living.